Lecture 9: Gymnosperms 2 (Pinaceae) Flashcards
What is the TYPE of plant for the family Pinaceae?
Trees (rarely shrubs) with resin canals.
What are the LEAVES for the family Pinaceae?
needle-like solitary or grouped in fascicles, persistent (rarely caducous)
Is the family Pinaceae monecious or dioecious?
Monoecious
What is the FLOWERS for the family Pinaceae (Female).
cones usually with numerous carpelar scales
Where is the resin canal found in the family Pinaceae?
Xylem
True or False: Pinaceae are dominant in the Boreal Forest
True
What are the genera of Pinaceae separated by?
Genera with 2 to numerous leaves. in fascicles (Pinus, Larix)
Genera with solitary leaves (Abies (fir), Picea (spruce), Tsuga (hemlock), Pseudotsuga, (Douglas fir))
What TYPE of plant is the genus Pinus (300 spp)?
Trees.
What are the LEAVES for the genus Pinus?
Leaves 2, 3 or 5 in a fascicle.
What are the FLOWERS for the genus Pinus? (Female)
Female cones ± big, mature after 2 seasons; Carpels (scales), thick, woody, with a prominence called umbo.
What species of Pinus has 5 leaves in its fascicles and which species has 2 leaves?
strobus
banksiana, resinosa, sylvestris
Pinus ______ has been the most valuable softwood lumber in E N America. In the 19th century, the harvesting of Eastern white pine forests played a major role in America’s Westward expansion through the Great Plains
strobus
How can you tell the difference between the Pinus species with 2 leaves in their fascicles?
P. bankiasa = Cones are curved & do not open
for many years. Bark is grayish
P. resinosa and P. sylvestris = Cones are straight and
open at maturity. Bark is reddish-brown
P. resinosa = Lvs. 7-15 cm long, green
P. sylvestris = Lvs. 3-7 cm, bluish-green
What TYPE of plant is the genus Larix?
Trees
What are the LEAVES for the genus Larix?
10-60 in a fascicle, deciduous.
What are the FLOWERS for the genus Larix? (female)
Female cones ± small, mature in 1st season; each scale with a bract at the base.
True or False: Tamarack (Larix laricina ) is a not a adaptable species
False, it is able to survive temperatures down to at least −65°C reaching north the edge of arctic tundra.
Commonly found in lowland areas
What TYPE of plant is the genus Abies (40 spp)?
Trees.
What are the LEAVES for the genus Abies?
solitary, persistent, alternate, arranged in 2 rows, flattened, on the lower side with 2 longitudinal lines of white dots (stomata)
base of leaf flared, apex rounded or notched
What are the FLOWERS for the genus Abies? (female)
Female cones big, mature in 1st season, erect, cylindrical, disarticulate at maturity:
Each scale with a long bract at the base
What genus of tree is popularly grown as a Christmas Tree
Abies balsamea (Balsam fir) because of its attractive fragrance and long retention of needles
What was the resin from abies balsam used for?
traditionally used as a cold remedy and as a glue for glasses, optical instrument components, and for preparing permanent mounts of microscope specimens
argued that the balsam fir was the “aneda” that cured scurvy during the second expedition into Canada of J. Cartier.
What TYPE of plant is the genus Picea (40 spp)?
Trees
What are the LEAVES for the genus Picea?
solitary, persistent, alternate, spirally arranged on the shoots, 4-angled, with longitudinal white lines on all the faces; base narrowed and attached to a woody leaf-peg, apex pointed.
What are the FLOWERS for the genus Picea?
Female cones mature in 1st season, pendulous, cylindrical, do not disarticulate at maturity.
Bracts accompanying scales very small, inconspicuous
_______ is a climax canopy tree in the boreal forests of Canada and Alaska
White spruce (Picea glauca)
What TYPE of plant is the genus Tsuga (hemlock)?
Trees
What are the LEAVES for the genus Tsuga?
solitary, persistent, alternate, +-in 2 rows, flattened, serrate toward apex
2 white lines of stomata on the lower face; base narrowed into a petiole, apex rounded or notched.
What are the FLOWERS for the genus Tsuga? (female)
Female cones small, mature in 1st season, pendulous, do not disarticulate at maturity
Bracts accompanying scales very small, inconspicuous
What TYPE of plant is the genus Pseudotsuga (Douglas fir)?
Trees
What are the LEAVES for the genus Pseudotsuga?
solitary, persistent, alternate, 2-ranked to spirally arranged, flattened (margins entire), with 2 white lines of stomata on the lower face; base narrowed into a petiole, apex usually acute.
What are the FLOWERS for the genus pseudotsuga? (female)
Female cones big, mature in 1st season, pendulous, do not disarticulate at maturity.
The bracts in the genus pseudotsuga are very ______ and ______ lobed.
long, 3
True or False: Douglas fir can get over 100m tall, leaves have a citrus smell and is native to western N america.
True
Besides forestry plantations it is also cultivated ornamental BUT it requires a constant supply of water.
True or False: The Gnetales has no leaves.
False, actually does have small, scale-like leaves and tiny flowers of male and female cones which bloom February through April
How many scales surround the seeds of gnetales?
2 or 3 large scales
What chemical compound can be found in Gnetales and what is it medically used for?
Ephedrine
Many dietary supplements & weight loss products contain ephedrine and/or caffeine from a variety of botanical sources
Ephedra is both a _______ (similar to adrenaline) and a ______.
Stimulant, thermogenic
What are the effects of ephedrine?
It increases heart rate, constricts blood vessels (increasing blood pressure), and expands bronchial tubes (making breathing easier).
Its thermogenic properties cause an increase in metabolism, evidenced by an increase in body heat.
Just like other stimulants, in high doses, ephedra can cause heart attacks, stroke, and seizures
What type of gnetales can be found in the desert near the fog belt?
Welwitschia mirabilis
True or False: Carbon dating tells us that on average, welwitschias are 500-600 years old, although some of the larger specimens are thought to be 2000 years old. Their estimated lifespan is 400 to 1500 years
True
